


The Agreement

by earthphoenix (roughknuckles)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Coming Out, Hook-Up, M/M, Matchmaking, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pre-Slash, Secret Relationship, Yule Ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-26
Updated: 2007-04-26
Packaged: 2018-02-10 11:03:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2022738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roughknuckles/pseuds/earthphoenix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Weasley twins start this thing off by stirring up trouble (as they are prone to doing) by playing match-maker, of sorts. Creating an environment where both Severus and Harry are willing to see the other in a way they were each previously blind to. The ending is open ended in the sense that what is "agreed" upon (no spoilers there, it's in the title), though meant to imply that despite public appearances, Severus and Harry have found a vulnerable connection that they are very protective of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was the night of the glorious Yule Ball, and bored with the swish of gowns against the floor of the great hall and stuffy music, the Weasley twins retreated to the rose garden to cause a little trouble with the couples who thought they'd attained a measure of privacy. Armed with pockets full of fireworks, the twins skulked through the pristine snow and cold-blooming roses to shock sweethearts in poorly hidden corners. The red-haired monsters tossed a firecracker into the pulled down robe of some Ravenclaw romeo and laughed loudly when it went off, shooting sparks and light fifty feet into the air.  
  
"Bravo Fred!"  
  
"Bravo, George!"  
  
They smacked hands in congratulations and prowled over to their newest targets, giggling.  
  
Professor Snape had been spending the evening of the Yule Ball taking points from students who had left the established, properly chaperoned area of Hogwarts. When a Ravenclaw boy raced by with sparks flying out of his pants, Severus concluded that someone else, _two someones_ actually, were among those in the gardens. Behind a series of stone pillars, Severus saw the twins giggling and laughing with one another. His only desire at that moment was to catch them in the act, the retribution would be sweet for all the years of the twins flooding his office.  
  
Fred and George snickered together, tossing snowballs back and forth in the small clearing between rosebushes, ruining their tacky 1970's muggle tuxedos with aplomb.

"The lovebirds are out tonight, Fred."  
  
Fred grinned wider, "Really? I thought the lovebirds stayed inside ..."  
  
George tossed another snowball, nailing his twin in the face and smiling knowingly, "Mmm, I think you're only talking about one lovebird in particular. One very sad little lovebird ..."  
  
Fred swooned dramatically, "It's tragic, really, the poor little nutter. I never would have pegged him for a ... you know ..."  
  
"Friend of Dorothy?" George wandered over and crouched near Fred.  
  
"Good thing Ron's not squeamish ..."  
  
"You kidding me? Ron grew up with Charlie, the biggest poofter in the northern hemisphere. I mean what sort of man tames dragons for a living?"  
  
"Exactly," Fred nodded, "so what if his best friend, the great and noble Harry Potter is gay as a maypole?"  
  
Severus slipped, even though he wasn't moving, his hand reached out and he clung onto the side of the stone pillar, holding himself up, pressed firmly against it, as silent as he dared, almost forbidding himself from breathing. It was the shock of his life really to hear such a thing second hand.  
  
"I know!" George exclaimed, "Of all the people to ... you know, it has to be him. The guy Voldemort's got down for roadkill, the poor bastard ..." he sighed, looking sideways at Fred, "of course what's even worse is ..."

Fred shook his head in despair, "Who he's in love _with_. I mean Harry is HARRY, if it were anyone else he'd have a bloody chance. He'd have a chance with _us_ if he wanted to!"

"You said it, Fred."

"But of all the people in the school, out of all the students, all the professors he has to fall in love with ..."  
  
"Severus-bloody-SNAPE!"  
  
"He's doomed. So doomed."  
  
"The man HATES him!"  
  
"… what." Severus seemed to speak, even though he had no memory of opening his mouth. He looked up, normally he couldn't look up in dreams, he could look down or to the side, just not up. What a strange dream.  
  
The twins turned at the noise, looking around and then shrugging, deciding it was nothing before continuing to whisper back and forth in the snow. "Can you believe it!? I thought it was a joke ... I mean who'd fancy SNAPE? Diggory's been prowling around Harry all year, inviting him for midnight baths in the prefect's washroom but no-"  
  
Fred continued seamlessly, "He's hung up on Snape. Bloody hell. Ron says he can hear Harry dreaming about him at night, he had to charm himself deaf just to be able to keep a straight face in potions!"  
  
"I know! All the moaning and writhing and calling his name in his sleep, gives me a-"

"Hard on?" Fred guessed with a smirk.

George smacked him, "Be serious Fred! He's in love and you know how he is, heroic and earnest and the like. I was going to say it gives me the wibbles to think about it! I mean think about it this way, Snape is a hopeless case who no one likes and then Harry Potter, great bloke, hero of the wizarding world, quidditch star and fine piece of rump is completely, utterly, blindly, PAINFULLY in LOVE with this dope ... but Snape will never, never even give the poor boy a kind word! Ron says he sees Harry just struggling not to break down after potions class!"  
  
"Bloody Snape. Sirius was right, he's too proud to give a shit about anyone but himself."  
  
Severus couldn't listen to any more. He began to walk away, careless if he was seen or not.

 

*               *               *

 

The music of the ballroom grew louder and louder and more people were dancing now to the coveted Wyrd Sisters ... except for Harry and his spurned date who sat there, waiting for Harry to ask her to dance while the green-eyed boy stared at the floor, looking ready to cave in on himself.  
  
"Excuse me Miss Patill, Mr Potter, I would like to speak with you for a moment." Severus said quietly.  
  
Harry looked up, astonished and frowning before he stood. His green eyes stayed averted from Snape, but didn't once land on his date.  
  
"Sure ..." he managed to mumble quietly, rubbing the back of his neck under the stiff collar of his formal robe.  
  
Severus took a few steps back, indicating that Harry should follow, just far enough from his date and the others. Against one of the far walls where students had kicked off their shoes or dropped their outer robes to better enjoy themselves.  
  
Harry followed, his arms crossed over his chest, looking at the floor, the walls, anywhere but directly at Snape until he could avoid it no longer. "Something you wanted to say, Sir?" he asked, almost in a dull monotone.  
  
"You are a Hogwarts champion, Mr Potter, and yet you do not look as though you are enjoying yourself." Severus began, then seemed to straighten further, something that seemed like an impossibility for the Slytherin Head of House, "Is something wrong?" he finally voiced what could not be explained away as anything else, other then concern.  
  
Harry re-focused on Snape, waiting for the sharp, acerbic wit the professor usually used against him to appear. "Wrong, Sir?" Harry asked, his arms tightening around himself a little under the robes, "No, I'd just rather not be," he looked out at the dancing couples with a sigh, "I hate these things"  
  
"I see …" Severus attempted, "perhaps you would be more comfortable in your own common room?" It wasn't a threat as usual, it was more along the lines of an offer. Severus was offering to escort Harry back to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
Harry frowned, "Are you ... expelling me to my common room because I look unhappy?" He asked in disbelief.  
  
"No Mr Potter … I was attempting to give you an alternative." _This is idiotic Severus._ "That is all Mr Potter, I am sorry I disturbed you." Severus moved away from the wall, away from Harry.  
  
Harry looked back at his irate date and Ron who was glaring a hole in Hermione's back. "Okay ..." he sighed, shrugging, "I was just looking for an excuse to leave." He kept his gaze down, away from Snape as he pushed off the wall, starting to walk back to his room alone.  
  
Severus walked with Harry however, if he was caught by another teacher, roaming the halls alone and unescorted, it would have meant points. Severus questioned himself, since when did he care if Harry lost points? Why had he bothered to make such an offer in the first place? It was all beyond absurd.  
  
Harry looked sideways at Snape, unnerved as the Potions Master followed him to his own dorm room. It was more like something Ron or Hermione usually would have done if he weren't feeling well, or maybe Sirius or Remus, but not Snape, not ever Snape. "Is ... is everything okay?" He asked as they climbed the last set of moving stairs, wondering if he were being escorted because Voldemort himself was roaming the corridors.  
  
"To the best of my knowledge" _As can be expected_. Severus divulged as much as he could each second he was allowed to look into Harry’s eyes, quickly scavenging for the facts and feelings that only Harry could tell, rather then something Severus experienced second hand.  
  
They stopped at the portrait door and Harry cleared his throat, "Well ... this is ... it." He kept his eyes averted and his face flushed a little, just enough to brighten his young, creamy face as he licked his lips and shifted nervously, "There's really nothing you ... wanted to tell me?"  
  
 _Am I really too hard on you?_ Severus set his jaw, this was no time to doubt himself. Apparently there was only one thing Severus felt he could say, and that was, "Good night, Harry."  
  
Harry nodded, not speaking, but just waiting until Snape had left before he looked up, staring after him, and shaking his head in confusion. _Harry?_  
  
Severus walked solemnly back down the staircase, returning to the ball, only busting couples no longer interested Severus. It seemed like the actions of a pathetic man who exercised his power over others, in place of having any in his own life. It was the truth, and it hurt.  
  
Harry shook his hair, messing it again and yawning widely as he entered the common room where the Weasley twins sat close on the couch in front of the fire. The boys had stopped talking so abruptly when Harry walked in that only one thing could be going on, they were discussing something Harry wasn't supposed to hear, maybe the reason why he suddenly had to be escorted back to the dorm. "Hey, guys ... " he half smiled, "left early too?"  
  
Fred and George stood, their faces oddly like their mother's when she said Harry was really too skinny and needed to eat more, "Yeah, yeah, just wasn't for us, y'know? How are you?" Fred patted his shoulder.

"Ehm, fine .... you?" Harry asked.  
  
"We're great, just great," George nodded as if someone died, "what's important is that you're okay, Harry."  
  
Harry shook his head, "What's going on around here? You're acting like someone's going to drop an anvil on my head any moment and Snape just-"  
  
Both of the twins's eyes WIDENED, "Snape?"

"Snape did what?" they asked excitedly, moving closer.  
  
"N ... nothing," Harry muttered, confused, "he just walked me up here for no reason, that's all. Why?"  
  
"He did, did he?" Fred put a hand on his own chest, "Blimey, I didn't think he was that far ..."

George elbowed Fred sharply, "that far ... from the dungeon. Anyhow, g'night Harry!"  
  
Harry looked between them, at their blank, smiling faces, "Are you sending me off to bed!?" he snapped.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Not us, Harry."  
  
The champion sighed and shook his head, having enough weirdness for one evening, "Right, well I'm going anyway, bloody knackered."  
  
"Of course you are!"  
  
"G'night mate, get some rest!"  
  
Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, shutting himself in his empty dorm room to change, more than ready to get out of the stuffy dress robes and into his pajama pants and t-shirt. He sat in bed, got under the covers and removed his glasses but just laid there, twitching his feet back and forth anxiously, his mind far too active to allow rest to come. Five minutes later the inquisitive boy was up, out of the dorm room, and creeping down the stairs until he heard Fred and George talking again.  
  
"He has no idea, does he?"  
  
"Obviously not, if he knew about it, there's no way he'd be that cruel to him. Way to go, by the way, for almost blowing it and telling him!"  
  
"I was only going to say I didn't think he was that far gone ... he couldn't guess from that."  
  
"He's Harry Potter, Fred, I think the boy who defeated Voldemort three times could piece that riddle together."  
  
Harry crouched down, listening in the stairwell, they were talking about him, after all ...  
  
"I can't believe Snape's taken to walking him to the dorm room, how bloody sad!"  
  
"Pathetic if you ask me, I mean Harry's what, fifteen at the most and Snape's at least twenty years older, and his professor!"  
  
"You're starting to sound like Granger, you know. Careful, party pooper."  
  
His green, almost sightless eyes widened and he leaned closer as George replied, "I'm just saying that it's good for Snape that Harry'll never think of him that way, he could end up in Azkaban!"  
  
"Oh come on, just because Snape's a professor and Harry's ... Harry, that doesn't mean he should go to jail. Harry's a big boy now, he can make his own decisions and hell, if I could find someone that hung up on me, I wouldn't care HOW old they were."  
  
Harry COUGHED suddenly, clamping a hand over his mouth as he almost fell down the stairs.  
  
"It really is sort of amazing, that old grump having a soft spot for anyone, let alone Harry."  
  
"Talk about star-crossed. I didn't believe it at first, but since you pointed it out to me, Snape does give Harry more detentions than anyone ..."

"He's always looking at him in class, watching him arrive, watching him work, watching him leave a room. The poor guy is absolutely doomed! He's really in love, Severus Snape is actually in LOVE probably for the first time in his miserable life and it's with someone who thinks he's disgusting. No wonder he's so bloody pent up."  
  
"Imagine him watching Harry, all dressed up and handsome at the ball, having a good time with someone else. All he could hope for was to walk him back in at the end of the night ..."

Fred sighed woefully, "Never thought I'd pity the old vulture, but you're right, Harry's too ... you know I love Harry but he's too young, too oblivious and busy to see past Snape's act and love him back."  
  
Harry gawked behind the curved wall, _oblivious and young!?_  
  
George nodded, "I know, he's just a bit ... you know, full of himself. I hate to say it, but it's true. Snape could send him sonnets day and night, written in his own blood and Harry would send them back just because they're from him! He doesn't give Snape a chance, sure he's irritable and hell on wheels in the classroom but even I have to admit, he adores Harry."  
  
 _Full of myself!?_  
  
Harry was sure he was breathing so loudly that the fire in the floo of the common room had to be flickering. _Snape? Snape hates me, right? Doesn't he?_

The boys stood and yawned, "Bedtime, Fred?"

"Definitely, George." Fred replied and they walked to the staircase where Harry had been crouched a second earlier.

All they heard was the soft click of Harry's dormroom door and they looked at each other, smirking evilly.  
  
"Phase one: complete!" George whispered, beaming.  
  
"Phase two begins tomorrow!" Fred smiled back, slapping hands with his brother and snickering all the way up the staircase.

 

*            *            *

 

"Harry!" Ron nudged his best friend in the ribs at the breakfast table, "What're you thinking about?"

Harry had been staring into his toast as though it could be read like tea leaves and was startled when Ron jostled him, "What? Nothing, nothing ... why?"

Ron just sighed, "Can you pass the salt? You know, that white thing near your elbow?"

Hermione looked over her book at Harry, "You are a little distracted, are you sick? You're pale, you should stay in bed."  
  
Harry passed the salt to Ron, only looking up at the head table for a split second, "Nothing, didn't sleep well, that's all."  
  
For once, Professor Snape was glad that he did not have class, it was Saturday morning after all, and many of the students were sleeping off late nights. However, conditioning dictated that he get up just as early, and go down to breakfast as if it were any other day. An action he now felt was a mistake. He was one of three members of staff at the head table, and there were only a few scattered students eating at this hour as well. Of course one of them had to be Harry Potter. Severus poked at his oatmeal, and held his tea with one hand, though didn't drink. He couldn't just get up and leave without eating, wouldn't that seem odd? And he couldn't just keep stalling, putting off breakfast forever.  
  
Harry looked up again, at Snape, sure enough he wasn't eating, just shifting his oatmeal around and looking thoroughly miserable. The formidable potions teacher didn't look quite as fierce as he did in the classroom, he looked listless and discouraged. _Of course he is, I didn't even thank him for walking me upstairs last night._  
  
Severus remained sitting for a moment more, then accused himself of being absurd. _You will hardly be missed._ He was convinced, that if anyone made any note about it, it was due to his absence, not presence. He barely glanced up at the Gryffindor table as he stood, excusing himself from breakfast. It had all literally happened overnight. Severus was reverting back to the behaviors of his youth, rather then continuing on in the more confident behaviors that would be expected of the Slytherin head of house.  
  
Harry almost jumped in his chair when Snape looked over and shrank back in a hurry, hiding behind Ron as best he could while watching Snape over the redhead's shoulder.

"What're you doing?" Ron looked back at him, confused.

Harry silenced him, "Shh!"

Hermione set her book down, an almost unprecedented event at breakfast, "Alright. Enough, what's going on, Harry?"  
  
Harry was about to reply when Fred and George strutted over, sitting on either side of Ron and Harry with jolly grins, "Oi! You three, come on, we've got something to show you!" George crouched behind Harry, trying to see what he was looking at from behind Ron, "Bird watching, Harry?"

Harry straightened, shaking his head and rubbing his tired eyes, "No, no ... just ..."

Ron sighed, rolling his eyes, "I think he had a few funny mushrooms last night or something."  
  
Fred grinned, "Or something ..."  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
The twins stood again, smirking, "C'mon you three, we've got something alot better to show you than breakfast."  
  
"Even with funny mushrooms ..."

Hermione frowned, "Which means it's against the rules and-"

George smirked, leaving the table, hauling Harry along with him good-naturedly, "And if you want to stop us, you'd better hurry up and follow us, or you'll just read about it in the Prophet tomorrow!"

Ron hopped up with Fred, breakfast long forgotten and the four boys scurried out of the great hall, followed by an exasperated Miss Granger.

 

*               *               *

 

Ten minutes later the entire west wing of the school shook with a tremendous crash, then another and another. It sounded like two trolls were body slamming each other into the floor.

Professor Snape was flanked by two of his seventh year prefects as he ran towards the west wing of the school. He commanded his students to keep the younger years away, assuming that whatever it was, trolls or the school being reduced to rubble, that the younger years would need looking after.  
  
In a usually abandoned corridor of the west wing, a long row of glittering, gigantic chandeliers were engaged in a bizarre game of leapfrog on the ceiling, leaping over each other in turn and slamming themselves into the stone ceiling after every leap. The room shook as strands of crystal beads fell to the floor, breaking apart and scattering between the twins who were brandishing their wands at the huge light fixtures and laughing maniacally. For once, the fourth year threesome looked wary, either trying to convince Fred and George to stop ruining the school or hexing the chandeliers still before they were re-enchanted again. "Mum's going to KILL YOU! Do you want a howler?" Ron ran around his brothers, dodging beads and candle wax.  
  
"Careful Ron, you sound like Percy!"  
  
Hermione was past reasoning with the boys and decided to try and summon Fred's wand while Harry began to climb a rock wall up to the slamming chandeliers, wand in his teeth.  
  
Rushing onto the scene, Severus immediately immobilized the chandeliers in mid-swing. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" he shouted fiercely.  
  
They turned at the same time, looking as though in the midst of their fun, they'd forgotten that a professor might show up. "No meaning, actually-" Fred grinned, grabbing Ron's shoulders and backing away from Snape. "Just ... good ... fun-" George grabbed Hermione's arms and backed up too, towing her along, "but we're going to be late for class, so ... BYE!" The twins and their escapees charged through a pair of doors and ran down a staircase, laughing loudly while Hermione berated them. An arm of one still settling chandelier groaned and CRASHED to the ground, narrowly missing Harry who by now was clinging to the wall near the ceiling.  
  
Professor Snape was more then capable of pursuing the twins, but as the chandelier fell and shattered, Severus was forced back, drawing up his arms across his face as the glass splintered and ricocheted off the floor. When it was at last safe to lower one aspect of his guard, Severus noted that the room was not as disserted as he had assumed. "Mr Potter?" He asked curiously, as it was hard to tell just who it was clinging to the side of the wall like a tree frog.  
  
Harry was clinging to a thick wooden beam, "Y ... yeah?" he muttered through the wand in his teeth. His palms started to sweat, _oh god not now._  
  
"Do you have any intention of coming down from there?"  
  
 _Yes, I'm going to come down so that you can deep fry me in detention sauce._ "It's a little hard to talk like this ..." he sighed, his words blended together, distorted and robbed of most consonants as he tried to re-adjust his grip.  
  
"Of course Mr Potter, at your leisure then." Severus said sarcastically, thoroughly amused by the cat caught up in the tree.  
  
 _I'm a muggle right now. I'm a muggle clinging to a wooden beam. Damn it._ Harry loosened one hand for a second and tried to grab the wand from his own teeth but slipped a little, dropping his wand on the floor meters below him with a pitiful clatter. "Ohgod-" Harry gasped, clinging to the beam with his arms and legs, his face burning a deep scarlet as he caught his breath. "Okay ..." he panted, "I might need a little help-"  
  
Severus looked on a little more seriously once Harry’s wand fell to the floor. "Have a proper hold?" Severus asked as he got closer to the wall, positioning himself nearly directly under the, _climb-first, think about falling later Gryffindor_.  
  
"Uh ..." Harry felt his nails dig into the wood, "Y-" the very old, rotting beam broke apart under Harry's hand and he fell, his arms windmilling backwards as his schoolrobes blew up around his back.  
  
"Arresto mo-!" Severus had begun, but before he finished, he had caught Harry Potter in his arms, breaking the boy’s fall, but also breaking something of his own as he fell back onto the floor. His robes flailed out upon the stone floor, looking like a black abyssal hole of space and time had just popped into existence. Severus winced at the pressure of Harry against one of his ribs, still, it didn't stop him from his duty, "Are you injured, Mr Potter?"  
  
Harry grunted, eyes closed, "No ..." he paused, rolled off of Snape and took a deep breath, "you?"  
  
Severus did not answer straight away, instead he pushed himself to his feet once more. His nature demanded that he not show any sort of weakness, and yet he found himself unable to lie to the boy. "Perhaps you can explain yourself and what has happened here?"  
  
Harry cracked his neck and stood, licking his dry lips. "I ... well Fred and George-" he looked up at the chandeliers, "thought it would be funny ..."  
  
"Of that I am quite sure. I don’t see anyone laughing."  
  
"It wasn't our idea," Harry protested, "Ron and Hermione and I were trying to stop them."  
  
"Stop them … and it hadn't occurred to any of you to perhaps fetch a professor?"  
  
Harry looked away, his jaw tightening a little, "We weren't sure we had time."  
  
"Yet you had time enough to scale a wall … seems to me it was more evident that you were going to join them, then stopping them."  
  
Harry glared at Snape, "You've got to be joking! WHY would I decide to destroy the school for no reason? Do you think I want to get expelled?" He took a step closer, outraged.  
  
"Reason? Mr Potter, reason has nothing to do with it, I cannot fathom the reason behind anything it is you do."  
  
"Look, I might be a little hard on the school but it's always for a good reason!"  
  
And there it was, _I might be hard on you, but it’s always for a good reason!_ He should have said it, but instead Severus said the unthinkable, "I’m sorry." He looked as though he were going to be a bit ill, they were alike, weren't they? And for that, Severus was sorry.  
  
Harry blinked. _Oh_. He'd almost forgotten in the heat of the moment what he'd overheard last night. Harry stood still for a long moment, struggling for something to say, before he lowered his voice, staring at the white cuff of Snape's sleeve that showed under the expanse of black robes. "No, it's ... it's fine," his hands went to his own hips, "it didn't look ... good."  
  
"Carry on Mr Potter." Severus said simply, "And close the door on your way out so that the house elves will come to clean up."  
  
He looked up, puzzled again, meeting Snape's eyes, "No ... detention, then?"  
  
"Did you want one?" Severus snapped sharply.  
  
Harry stepped back, looking offended, "No!"  
  
"Then carry on."  
  
The young Gryffindor looked Snape over, somewhere between puzzled and perhaps disappointed, "Right ..." _wouldn't you want to see me?_ He nodded and turned, walking out of the hall and down the stairs, infuriated and telling himself that he didn't know why.  
  
Severus made sure the twins had detention for the rest of the month, but not with him. He didn't want to overhear any more of their conversations. He had no desire to be reminded that age had done nothing for him, he was still disgusting in the eyes of others, still the slimy git, still the teachers pet, he was to be avoided like the plague, and that’s all there was too it.


	2. Chapter 2

Potions class loomed on Monday and after not seeing Snape for the rest of the weekend, Harry tossed and turned Sunday night, sleepless again. Everytime he started to drift off voices started in his head, Fred's and George's or Snape's calling him Harry. _He didn't punish me, he could have punished me for a month and he let me go._ Ron and Hermione seemed equally perplexed, but quickly learned not to ask Harry about it. Finally transfiguration came to an end and Harry felt his stomach squeeze and shift upwards as he stood, his next class was with Snape.  
  
But Professor Snape had returned to his uncompromising and exacting nature. He dared not leave any doubt in any students mind (or even colleagues) that he would ever be foolish enough to yield. He was making up for it now as he finished up with his seventh years potions class. He already demanded much from his students, especially those whose marks were high enough to continue on into his seventh year class. Two students had been reduced to tears and left half way through lessons. _That’s right, I’m just a bully_. Severus sneered as he lost two more students, _abusing my power over pathetic …_ Severus hadn’t even said anything to the students who ran out crying. All he had done was to pick up a sample of their brew, evaluate it with a critical eye, and dump it down the drain as worthless. It had taken them all of last week to prepare, and now it was worthless. An entire week, wasted.   
  
Harry lingered outside the classroom, his back against the wall, waiting. He couldn't be the first one in there, or the last, it would be too conspicuous, too obvious. He had to wait until a few people came in and sat down so that he could blend in. _Is he nervous about me coming to class? Is he always nervous about me coming in?_ A few Gryffindors passed Harry, entering the class and sat down. _Not yet, there's barely anyone in there._ Three Slytherin girls looked Harry over with distain and walked in, snickering and whispering.  
  
Severus had his back to his students, writing on the slate board at the front of class, information for the days exercise. He titled it: _Black Cohosh (Black Snake Root)._ It was a spell-charm-potion hybrid, something that should actually be taught in an advanced defence against the dark arts class, but seeing as how the current DAtDA professor had no intention of doing any real teaching, just frightening his students, Severus felt his lesson could play the duel role. And the irony of playing two sides had long left the spy, he wrote the directions for the exercise clearly and efficiently as the students began to wonder in.  
  
Harry was counting the people who walked in, always meaning to follow, but changing his mind every time.

"Oi, Harry!" Fred and George passed, stopping and walking over, "Wow, what are you all dressed up for?"

Harry swallowed and straightened, "What? I'm not dressed up ..."  
  
"Really?" George looked him over, "you look different ..."   
  
"I didn't do anything ..."  
  
"Wait, your hair is ..." Fred licked his fingers and patted down Harry's black hair, "perfect! Alright! In you go!"

Harry felt himself shoved into the classroom, skidding a little.  
  
"Take your seats," Severus said darkly. "You will require the entirety of our 70 minute class for todays assignment."  
  
Harry waited a moment before he walked in completely, walking slower and slower as he got to the second row in the class, where all the seats were already taken. _I can't go back now ..._ he swallowed and edged in, sitting down in the front row, two seats saved for Ron and Hermione.  
  
"For those of you who have no intention of devoting yourself to today’s assignment, I ask that you leave now. You will be given an alternative assignment, which will result in nothing less then fifty rolls of parchment." Neville Longbottom already seemed keen on fifty pages then following the directions on the board. "I ask that you decide now." Severus looked to the faces of his students one by one, "Need I remind you, this is a school of magic. Therefore, you are required to demonstrate your magical ability in the classroom. If you have no intention of doing this, then I pose to you the question, why are you _here_?"   
  
Everyone seemed to stop breathing, Ron and Hermione, unfortunately picked that exact moment to walk in late, trying to make it to the front row without being noticed.  
  
Rather then taking points or pointing out the tardiness of his students, Severus did not bother wasting any more time; it wasn’t worthy of his attention. No longer would he focus on what was wrong, if you misbehaved, if you failed, you were ignored. He would only now be interested in those who succeeded. "For those of you who have your defence against the dark art books with you, you will find an example of what you are making on page 366. The more magic you pour into the amulet, the more powerful it will be. When you are done, I shall test them with you one by one in my office."   
  
Harry reached down into his bag, blushing deeply, _one by one in his office. That can't be a coincidence, can it?_ He read the board, making himself focus on the words and not the dark professor. His neck was blushing now, he could feel the bright, warm feeling under his shirt collar.  
  
A few brave students had actually elected to take Snape up on his offer for an alternative assignment. First it was three, then four, then five – security in numbers. But to ensure that his students did not cheat, Severus assigned each individual a different subject, writing it down as they approached his desk. He did not express disappointment, he only wrote down the assignments for those students who seemed to know their own limits or otherwise fear the unknown; 50 pages of parchment was something familiar – this assignment, crossing different aspects of magic together, was not.  
  
Ron was, of course, trying to look at whatever Harry was doing, peering over his shoulder while Harry shook his head, "Ron, just ... I don't need another lecture ..."   
  
"Mr Weasley, come to my desk." Severus directed, as he wrote an assignment for one of his own, a Slytherin.  
  
Ron paused, looking around, then at Harry as he stood and inched towards Snape's desk.  
  
Severus pulled up another scrap of paper and wrote down another assignment, handing it to Ron, who now had to write 50 pages on the psychic enhancement of lunar contemplation oil. "As with all things Mr Weasley, I expect you to do this yourself. Don’t think your grade hasn’t suffered due to your cheating habits. Seeing as how you demonstrate the need for someone else to always take charge, this is my decision for you. Now leave my class."   
  
Harry blinked, gaping a little as Ron took the parchment and read it, only picking up his books off of the table and walking out without saying a thing to Harry. He looked at Hermione who looked pleased, she whispered, "It's about time ..." as she stirred her cauldron.

There was only one problem, sometimes Ron helped Harry and he wasn't sure what he'd do now without him to talk with. _Only one way to find out_ , he thought, picking up the ingredients and starting to work alone.

Class dragged on, and Professor Snape spent it behind his desk, not making any rounds to check on his students progression, not offering help, not telling them where they were going wrong. Everyone was getting a taste at being self reliant; just like witches and wizards did in ancient times.   
  
Harry looked at the clock, only five minutes left and he still had two steps to go, one of them needing him to stir for three minutes.   
  
Hermione, of course, was already finished and was cleaning up after herself, but Harry was glad that his other classmates seemed a little further behind in the experiment. _Okay, two Veela hairs, stir for three minutes counter-clockwise._ Lifting the glass vial with two silvery hairs inside, Harry uncorked it and tipped the hairs in one at a time. Harry's cauldron began to bubble enthusiastically and he set about stirring, keeping an eye on the ancient, iron clock up above Snape's head. The steam from the potion, turning a periwinkle blue floated around Harry's face, into his hair, around his neck and he shivered.   
  
When Hermione had finished stalling, Professor Snape had her join him in his office, closing the door behind them to test the strength of the protective amulet. It took less then a minute to determine, after which Severus informed the Gryffindor she had gotten passing marks - and yet Hermione Granger the brains of the boys club - looked as though she had been petrified, or worse. She walked out of Snape's office quickly, and out of the classroom as soon as possible.   
  
This of course was not particularly reassuring to the remaining students.   
  
Harry looked up, brows raised, but she almost ran out of the room, letting the door slam behind her. _Last step ..._ he swallowed thickly and went to the tall black vase out of which the students were to draw their physical amulets. Harry fished around until a chain caught his fingers and he drew something gold out, a locket on a gold chain. Time was running out, it looked like no one else would finish in time, so he ran back to his desk and followed the final step, levitating some of the royal blue potion into the locket until it looked like a small, oval lake of azure. That done, Harry snapped it shut, put the chain around his neck and strode to Snape's office, knocking, almost out of breath.   
  
The door opened, and Professor Snape looked remotely surprised that it was Harry. "Ready then?" Severus stood, walking around his desk so that nothing was between them. Nothing - except for the power of the amulet, if done correctly.   
  
Harry nodded, his palm slipping a little against the doorknob as he pulled it shut. "Yeah ..." he murmured as Snape approached him. It was cloyingly warm in the dark office.   
  
Though there were many light sources in the room, candles hovering just over the desk and around bookshelves, an unnatural, and unexplainable shadow crossed Severus's face. It was because it was not a shadow at all, it was something like black vapor, issuing from his robes, from under the collar of his robes. All Severus did was look at Harry, saying and doing nothing, but the blackness shot itself forward like a lightning bolt, a dark cloud - but the power of Harry's amulet kept the darkness at bay, leaving Harry in almost a bubble, an orb around his person, protecting him.   
  
Harry gasped, watching the smoke stop around him, waiting for it to close in and choke him but it stayed a good distance away. "It works ..." he whispered, stroking his fingers over the invisible wall.   
  
Severus ended it. He looked ... impressed? Whatever it was, it disappeared along with the blackness. "Yes." He swallowed, "You have received passing marks." He informed Harry, not turning his back on the Gryffindor, though moving around his desk once more, sitting.   
  
Harry smiled lopsidedly, his eyes lit up proudly and he put a hand over the locket, holding it against his chest, "Are we allowed to keep them?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
His smile widened, and his voice softened, genuinely grateful, _he meant to protect me ..._ "Thank you, Professor."   
  
Severus looked up, "You made it."   
  
Harry nodded, blushing to his ears, unable to reply for a second, "Right ..." He was staring at Snape, hand still around the locket that felt pleasantly warm in his hand, "Can ... I ask you a question?"   
  
_That was already asking me a question_. "Yes." Severus did not seem to be impatient, whatever students were outside his office waiting their turns, were likely grateful for the extension to complete their own amulets.   
  
"Why did you walk me to the tower that night?" Harry blurted out.   
  
_... oh ..._ " ... " Severus absently smoothed his hand down his robes, over his knee. "I could tell you it was because I did not wish you to be caught in an unsupervised area alone, but that would not be entirely true." The awkwardness lingered. "Why do you ask?"   
  
Harry looked frozen, but not at all scared, "Usually you seem to enjoy catching me doing something I shouldn't ..." the green-eyed boy smiled. He licked his lips again, "I asked because I ... I um ... I ..." there was a knock at the door.

"Professor Snape?" Malfoy wheedled, "Isn't Potter's turn up?"   
  
"When I say, Mr Malfoy." Severus said simply, but sternly.  
  
Harry shook his head, obviously reluctant to say anything now that he knew Malfoy could be listening, "Sorry," he breathed, "I should really go to my next class ..." he paused, "if I'm dismissed, sir."   
  
Severus sighed, "Yes, Mr Potter, you are excused."   
  
He nodded, turning to the door and looking at Snape before he met his eyes again, "If ... you'd like ... I can wait outside. You can walk me to divination ..."   
  
Severus smirked, "Wouldn't you find that entirely embarrassing?"   
  
Harry looked at his feet, "I signed Lockheart's fan mail for eight hours ... I can take a little teasing."   
  
"Then wait." the door opened at Professor Snape's command, "Next."   
  
Harry smiled briefly and then shut it down as he walked out, past Malfoy who shouldered him hard. Harry would have tripped if he hadn't been wearing the amulet.   
  
After the last of Professor Snape's students had undergone some version of testing from the potion's master, leaving more then one slightly traumatized - Severus walked out of his office and into the lab, wondering if Harry Potter had in fact remained behind.   
  
Harry sat on the top of the desk on the Gryffindor side of the classroom, near the back. He didn't so much smile as brighten when Severus came out of his office. "Is that all of them?"   
  
"So it would seem."   
  
Harry scooted to the edge of the desk, starting to stand as Snape approached. "Did everyone get a locket? Some people didn't seem to be wearing chains."   
  
"No." Severus paused, "you have a locket?"   
  
Harry nodded, "I thought you saw it in there ... you didn't?" He seemed a little amused.   
  
"Might I see it?" Severus asked, curious, as a locket would only be bound to hold a fourth of the protective potion-charm hybrid, at best, compared to a normal amulet.   
  
Harry paused, puzzled, and then nodded, reaching under his shirt to pull the heavy gold oval up into his hand, showing it to Snape.   
  
Severus's features were unreadable, then again, they always were. He nodded slightly, thanking Harry for humoring him. "Shall I walk you to divination then?" He spoke nothing more on the locket, the days class, or anything.   
  
He raised his eyebrows a little, but nodded, standing completely now, "Sure ..." He started towards the door, opening it and looking back at Snape, "you don't mind?"   
  
_Obviously, else I would not have agreed to it_. "I don't mind." Severus said simply, following after Harry, and closing up his classroom after they had both left.   
  
The halls were empty now, like they were the night of the yule ball, "How many people passed?"   
  
"I'm not giving you names, if that it what you are after."   
  
Harry shook his head, "I don't want names, I asked for numbers, right?"   
  
"Six."   
  
"Wow ..." he nodded, impressed, "why did you choose that assignment?" Harry tilted his head.   
  
"You mean, why did I pick an assignment that is at least three years advanced then any ordinary wizarding level, that implements both aspects of potions, charms, and defence against the dark arts ... now, of all times?"   
  
Harry considered as they started up the long set of stairs, "I suppose ..."   
  
"Because Mr Potter, danger is coming." Severus knew keenly just what sort of danger too, the returning mark on his arm was indeed a sign, "And it is my job as a professor to give you, students, tools to survive, to protect yourselves ... I say this to you, because I believe you have felt the danger, even within the security of these walls, even within Hogwarts."   
  
Harry stopped and turned, looking at Snape as though he'd just read Harry's mind, "But ... Dumbledore would never let Voldemort in here, Voldemort's terrified of him."   
  
"If I am not mistaken Mr Potter, the dark lord is already within the walls of Hogwarts, because he attacks you in your dreams." Severus waited to see if Harry would tell him he was wrong.   
  
Harry's hand went around the locket, eyes widening ... but he stayed silent at first. "How do you ... how do you know?"   
  
Ah, but that was a secret, wasn't it? Wasn't it? Severus kept asking himself. "Because Mr Potter" Severus prepared himself for the worst, for Harry's reaction to be poor, and eventually cause Severus a great deal of public scrutiny once more, "while you are correct in saying that Dumbledore would never let the dark lord physically onto Hogwarts grounds, that does not prevent him from contacting, and otherwise harassing those he has a connection with."   
  
"He has a connection with you?"   
  
_Merlin, and I didn't even have to draw you a picture._ While the sarcasm was internal, it was only habit, as Severus knew Harry was no idiot. "Yes Mr Potter. How do you feel about knowing that?"   
  
They were stopped on the stairs now, facing each other, Harry silhouetted by stained glass windows, the boy considered, his face grim, but not dismissing, "It depends ... depends on how you use that connection."   
  
"Use?" Severus was in fact a little surprised by this term, "Would you say that you are able to use the connection that he has with you, to your benefit?"   
  
"I'm fourteen years old," Harry sighed, "fourth years aren't usually taught how to manipulate those sorts of things."   
  
_Manipulate._ The concept seemed utterly fascinating. "Then let me explain Mr Potter, age has nothing to do with it. The only thing that comes with age, is perhaps the ability to better ignore it. Otherwise, when it comes to the dark lord, there is no ... manipulation, there are no opportunities to use his powers, against him." However Severus was being delicate with his words, because there were many opportunities for someone like Severus to manipulate what it was the dark lord wanted, and therefore got out of those he had a connection with.   
  
"Didn't my mother use his power against him?"   
  
"Lily used a power the dark lord was ignorant off, against him. Therefore, it could not be his own power against himself, because it was not something he had within him to begin with."   
  
Harry sighed, "You asked me how I felt about you having a connection with Voldemort, what I meant to say was it depends on how you feel about it."   
  
"Oh, it's kittens and butterflies, isn't it?" Severus said dully.  
  
Harry glared a little, "If you're proud that you have a connection to him, if you wish he were back in power, if you're not loyal to Dumbledore then the way I feel about it is disgusted!" His green eyes burned a little brighter, a little bluer in fury and then calmed as he took a steadying breath, "But if you have some connection to Voldemort and you wish you didn't, if you think he's a bullying toe-rag and a murderer who should rot in hell for what he's done, if you lay awake at night and wonder what your life would be like if you didn't have the damned connection with him ..." Harry was out of breath, but his features softened, "then-" his voice dropped, "then I guess you and I have more in common than I thought we did."   
  
Severus sighed, mastering himself, "We are going to ignore the fact that you raised your voice to me yet again, clearly this was an inappropriate time to have this conversation."   
  
Harry sighed, shaking his head, blood pumping in his ears, "I'd like to hear it. I think I know-" he looked up at Severus, "I think I know where you stand, I hope I know where you stand but if you can tell me-" he sighed, feeling his heart sink lower, knowing as the words left his mouth that Snape, no matter how in love he might be with him, would never actually answer. The Gryffindor smoothed a hand over the locket around his neck and felt it calm him a little, "It would just be nice to have someone who understands what it's like to be bound to him, I dream sometimes that I'm connected to him by some disgusting umbilical cord and I can't get it off ..."   
  
Severus's dark eyes seemed hooded by the circles and thin skin around his eyes, making his unblinking, intense gaze resemble something like a hawk. "Tell me Harry, where do I stand? Because even with this shame ..." Severus kept his eyes on the boy, undoing the cuff of his left hand, pushing up the sleeve just enough for Harry to see the familiar mark he had seen at the quidditch game over summer, "is it in you to believe that my loyalties have _always_ been with Albus Dumbledore?" It was a tremendous risk for Severus, exposing himself to the boy like this, but something told him it was necessary.   
  
Harry held his breath, simply forgetting to breathe. When he answered, it didn't sound like his own voice answering, it sounded stronger, more like Dumbledore's, "It's a scar on your arm, it's just a scar, like mine ..." he reached out and put his own hand on the dark mark, palm down, eyes not breaking away from Severus's, "Dumbledore trusts you and I ..." he swallowed, looking at his own hand over Snape's tattoo, "I can be convinced."   
  
For a moment, Professor Snape stood there with his eyes closed, a small smile seemed to ponder its own existence in the corner of his mouth. But when Severus opened his eyes once more, it was unmistakable, there was relief, it was clear, because it had not been there before.   
  
Harry smiled a little, an exhausted, honest curve to his lips. "But," he said, cheekily, "you've made me very, very late for divination."   
  
"So I have." Severus glanced at the staircase that remained, "Do you wish a note explaining your tardiness, or one explaining why you were unable to attend class altogether." He was giving Harry a choice.  
  
Harry laughing, blushing at mishearing, "My ... ehm, my ... what!?"   
  
"Your tardiness Mr Potter."   
  
Harry reached up, trying to make his hair go straighter, but it only tangled around his fingers as he looked up at Snape, "Well, she is the divination professor, she should be able to know ahead of time that I'm not going to bother coming to class this late ... right?"   
  
"If that is your opinion of your professor..." Severus said, clearly unimpressed, and unbelieving in her ability to perform any sort of real mysticism - except, there was that one time.   
  
Harry grinned, half whispering, "I'm saying I'll need the note for sure, she's probably telling the rest of the class I died."   
  
"Indeed." Severus turned, pushing his sleeve back down his arm, refastening the cuffs as he began to descend the staircase, headed back towards his classroom.   
  
The green-eyed Gryffindor straightened, glowing, and followed after Severus trying to walk beside him as much as his slim, lanky limbs would allow. "When is your next class?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.   
  
"After lunch. Why do you ask?"   
  
"What do you usually do between now and then?" Harry asked, biting his lower lip.   
  
"Have tea with oddly ambitious Gryffindors who have no where else to go."   
  
"I was almost put in your house, you know." Harry confessed, hoping it would elicit another rare smile.   
  
"It would have helped," Severus said softly, "change the perception of what Slytherin represents these days."   
  
Harry walked a little closer, letting their sharp elbows bump, "Well if your only impression of Slytherin was Draco Malfoy, you would have asked for Gryffindor too ..."   
  
When Severus felt his arm brush against Harry, he drew himself away just enough, subtle to not make it insulting, but enough so that it wouldn't happen again. "You are your mother's son Harry, I would not have expected you to be placed anywhere else."   
  
He paused, "You knew my Mum?" Harry asked reverently.

"Yes." It was now, that Severus did not meet Harry's eyes.

From the look on Severus's face, he didn't voice any of the hundreds of questions he had about his mother. Snape's mask of unreadable composure was more rigid than usual. "Thanks," Harry swallowed, "I always get compared to my Dad, it's nice to know I'm like her too."

If Severus saw any of James in Harry, they would not have been able to speak as they just had. One doesn't risk their deepest shames and darker secrets with someone like James Potter, who would have exploited them to no end, but such things could be trusted to Lily Evans. Severus opened the door to his classroom, "Is that what you would like to talk about?"

"My mother?"   
  
Closing the door to the classroom, then proceeding back to Snape’s familiar office, Severus conjured a pot of tea on the stone work surface behind his desk. "If you wish."  
  
Harry took a deep breath and sat in the small chair opposite Snape's desk, "Yeah ...." he watched Snape work, silent for a moment before he asked, "how did you meet her?"  
  
"We met on the train, during our first year." Severus drew up the memory as easily as he drew up his own chair, sitting as he put his cup down on the table before him. While his long finger directed the second cup down onto the table, closer to Harry. "She introduced herself, and proceed to talk to me for the entire train ride up to Hogwarts."  
  
"Did you talk back or just look at her like she was out of her mind?"  
  
"Oh, certainly look at her like she was out of her mind. But that didn’t stop her." Severus seemed to smirk approvingly at this.   
  
"That's pretty much how I met Ron" Harry smiled. "And you were friends after that?"  
  
Severus seemed thoughtful on this point, "No … first it took her being my lab partner and burning acid through my shoes for us to become friends."  
  
"Did the hat put her in Gryffindor right away?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Was she bad at potions?"  
  
"I wouldn’t say, bad …" was his attempt at being delicate, which in all honestly was hard for Snape to say, "she got better."   
  
Harry grinned proudly, "What was she like? What did she like?"  
  
Severus sighed softly, "Have you ever heard someone play a piano solo? With no back up, no other sound excect for whatever range the piano alone is capable of? That’s what she was like. She could be sweet and melody, with a hint of sadness, or she could be forceful and loud … but all within a range." Severus illustrated this by boxing his hands slightly to suggest that whatever Lily was, it was usually contained, in the sense that she did not live in extremes. "As for likes …?" Severus drank his tea, thinking back.  
  
Harry was enraptured, committing as much as he could to permanent memory.  
  
Severus was a lot more thoughtful then he had intended, "She … well, I have to say it, she enjoyed helping people." Of this Severus’s tone began to neutralize once more, rather then be as fond as it had been a moment ago when he compared her to a piano. "She was fond of animals, and growing things in herbology. She enjoyed … going to Hogsmede on the weekends, experiencing the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts. She loved strawberries."  
  
"Did you stay friends with her all through school? Did she ever have detention? Did she ever fail anything? What did she look like?" Harry couldn't voice the questions fast enough, they rattled off of his tongue.  
  
Severus delicately touched the pad of his pointer finger to the top of his cup, and circled around the rim, once, slowly. "She had detention only a few times, and on both those occasions, it was someone else’s fault entirely. She struggled in her first few years, but never failed anything." Severus glanced up at Harry, "Hasn’t Hagrid given you a picture?"  
  
Harry nodded, "When she was older, I think after graduation ..."  
  
"Well, the same … just, shorter." Severus attempted.  
  
Harry half laughed and nodded, "Right," he sat back in the chair, looking at his hands, "what ... what about me reminds you of her?"  
  
Severus watched Harry’s mannerisms. _The need to be assured_. "Some of the doubts you have about yourself, as well as your … persistence to do what you believe is right." _And of course, her eyes, often sad, often disapproving, often brilliantly happy.  
_  
Harry smiled and looked away, bashfully. "Thanks" he sighed, still smiling to himself, "I wish I were more like her."  
  
Severus drank his tea again, unable to say much else unless directly asked, he didn’t know why. Though, the moment Severus seemed to settle on opening his mouth again on his own, without a prompt from Harry, his office door opened with a thud.

Alastor Moody hobbled in, and Severus was on his feet. The auror eyed the room, then half glared at Severus for only a moment before he turned his attention to Harry, "A’right there Harry? Been look’n fer you." The auror said in his low, growly voice.  
  
Harry startled and looked back, "Yeah, I'm just ... talking with Professor Snape, why?"

"Don’t you belong in divination?" Moody asked, though seemed to have the question posed more towards Severus.   
  
Harry nodded, "Yeah, but um ..." Harry looked sheepish, "Professor Snape caught me skipping ..."  
  
"Indeed, I was discussing with Mr Potter that regardless of his standing as Hogwarts champion, it does not excuse him from class, nor school rules, much less detention."   
  
"And you were discussing this over tea, where you?" Moody seemed to accuse.   
  
"Professor Moody," Severus spoke with an odd lightness, "was there something you wished from me, coming down and barging into my office?"  
  
Harry just looked down into his tea, turning the mug in his hands. He'd never imagined for a moment Snape would ever cover for him.  
  
"As I said, Professor Snape-" Moody spoke the title in a way that made it clear he wished to call the man by something else entirely, "I was looking for Harry."   
  
"Indeed. Why is that?"   
  
Something unspoken must have been exchanged, because Moody gave no answer, and yet Severus frowned slightly as he watched the auror, who now nudged Harry’s chair. "Come along Harry, want to speak with you before lunch."   
  
Harry looked at Snape briefly, "Am I excused, Sir?"  
  
"Yes, you are excused. But I shall remind you, that the detention for this evening still stands. I expect you here after dinner."  
  
Harry sighed, shoulders sagging as he pushed past the chair and walked out, through the door Moody held open.

 

*            *            *

 

Harry did his best to act glum about having detention all evening, but left halfway through dinner to change clothes and then report to Snape's office, where he knocked three times.  
  
Professor Snape did not stay long at the head table during dinner. Shortly after Moody took a seat, near the end of the table, Severus excused himself. In his office, a few hundred thoughts going through his mind as he focused himself on preparing roots so that they would be ready to use for his first years by chopping them up properly, rather then waste ingredients and have them do it. When Severus heard the knock at the door, he stabbed the knife, point down into the wood countertop of his work station. He turned, and had the door open on it’s own, there was a hint of relief when Severus saw that it was in fact, only Harry. "Come in."  
  
Harry grinned a little, shyly from under his mop of hair, the smile hidden from the rest of the world as he stepped inside, "What are you doing?" he asked, looking at Snape's work on the table.  
  
"Chopping cassava root." The door behind Harry closed and locked. "What did Professor Moody speak with you about?" Usually Severus was subtle, but here and now, he felt the need to be direct.  
  
Harry didn't hide his confusion as he approached Snape's desk, pulling a displeased face, "That's the strange thing," Harry absently picked the knife up out of the table and started chopping roots (force of habit in the dungeons), "it was really nothing. He just wanted to tell me to start preparing for the second task and that the library might be useful. He did seem pretty interested in what you were talking to me about ..."  
  
Severus moved closer to Harry, putting his own hand over Harry’s, stopping him from cutting, "And what did you say?"  
  
Harry stopped cutting, his skin tingling hotly where Snape's hand lay. It took him a moment to come up with actual words in reply, _he touched me, he put his hand over my hand, he's getting braver._ "Nothing, I said you were just lecturing me about wandering the halls again, threatening to expel me, so on ..." he looked back at Snape over his shoulder, "he looked disappointed."  
  
"Then, he believed you?" Severus withdrew his hand.  
  
It was Harry's turn to look disappointed, but he stepped back from the table non-chalantly, "I think so, yeah. He went on and on about how I should be more careful about getting caught by you, implied you might not be trustworthy."  
  
At that, Severus withdrew himself further. _That’s your decision to make_. "Remember the lies you speak" Severus seemed to warn, "and try to avoid them" _you’re not very good at it._  
  
He sighed, watching Snape, "I didn't believe him ..."  
  
Severus ignored this, forcing another subject, "What were you going to say to me in class?"  
  
"In class?" Harry looked at him, licking his lips, "I think I was just going to ask you about walking me to my room that night ..."  
  
"No, after that. When Malfoy interrupted us." Severus wagered, whatever it was, Harry had changed his mind and would not say.  
  
"I was going to answer a question of yours, actually-" he swallowed, "you asked me why I asked you why you walked me to my room at the yule ball. You said you could tell me a lie, but I didn't want a lie and you asked me why ..." Harry was mumbling again and shook it off. "I guess my answer is that you've never walked me anywhere before when I wasn't in trouble, so I wanted to know wh- what your motivation ... was."  
  
"I see." And that’s all Severus said, turning from Harry, though speaking clearly, "You are of course aware that you do not have to actually serve detention with me."   
  
"I am ..." he looked down at his hands, wishing he had something to chop, "and you're aware that-" he looked up, keeping his tone softer than usual, "you're not answering my question."  
  
"I am aware."  
  
Harry took half a step closer, "Why not?"  
  
"It’s my right, to keep some things to myself."  
  
"I'll remember that in the future ..." Harry picked up another root, restlessly examining it in his hands. "It's nothing to be ashamed of ..."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Harry had to steady himself with one hand on the table, "I ..." he seemed to falter a little under Snape's dark gaze but plucked up his Gryffindor courage, "I'm not ... I'm not like other boys."  
  
"No, indeed not." Severus mastered himself so that he was not mocking Harry for the obvious, "You wish to explain?"  
  
Harry blushed, "I mean I'm not ... I don't have a girlfriend and I don't think I want one."  
  
"Hardly seems a priority."   
  
"I mean, I don't ... _ever_ want a girlfriend."  
  
"A celibate life then, good for you."  
  
Harry sighed, "Alright," he walked closer, his green eyes challenging, "I'm gay."  
  
"Why tell me?" Severus said quietly.  
  
Harry shut his eyes, "Alright, you win-" he walked past Snape, "when you decide to stop being obtuse-" (he wanted to thank Hermione for using that word about Ron all the time), "send me an owl ..."  
  
Severus almost let Harry leave, it was what he had wanted, right? Show the boy that he was on the wrong path, that it was a bad idea, push him away so that no one would get hurt. "Harry." Severus sighed.   
  
Harry stopped, his hand on the doorknob, closing his eyes. "Yes?" he asked, as calmly as he could.  
  
"Come back. I’m sorry. We can talk properly, if you would still like."  
  
 _I'm sorry?_ Harry took a lungful of the cool dungeon air and turned, walking back to the ingredients table even though he had to focus to keep his hands from shaking.  
  
"My reaction was rude" Severus began, still apologizing, "for some reason you felt you could trust me enough to tell me that you are a homosexual, therefore I was difficult with you, because of all the things we have in common Harry, I believe that to be the most dangerous."   
  
Harry stared for a moment, not sure why he didn't expect that response. "You didn't ... seem surprised."  
  
"No … and yet, neither does my confession to you seem to be surprising."   
  
He sighed, rolling his shoulders back, "I ... had a feeling ..." Harry looked up with guarded hope, "I suppose I have to be right now and then."  
  
Severus seemed to offer Harry a light smile, "So, now we know."  
  
"And that's ... dangerous?" he smiled back, stepping a little closer again.  
  
"It can be, very." Severus said simply, raising his chin when Harry moved closer.  
  
"If it can be dangerous, then ... why are we spending so much time alone?" this new side of Snape fascinated Harry. _They were right, it's just a mask, this is what's underneath._  
  
"Then are you suggesting it should end?"  
  
"No," he answered quickly, "no! I'm just wondering ... if you think it's so dangerous that we're ... that we could be ... you know-" Harry cursed himself silently for going pink again, "then either you don't think the danger is very serious, or maybe somethings are worth the risk."  
  
Snape’s fierce features hardened as he locked his jaw, breathing out his nose before managing, "It would be, very dangerous. And very difficult. It would require absolute trust, no exceptions … then, it would be most definitely worth the risk."  
  
"Really?" Harry answered, almost breathlessly. _It's true, it's true ..._ "I ... I can be trusted, you know that" He could hear his own voice shake, and had to stop speaking before it broke.  
  
"Trust … at all times." Severus raised his wand to the boy, "That despite appearances, you know, you understand … there must still be faith, otherwise there is nothing."  
  
Harry looked past the wand at Snape, and nodded, "I will ..." His heart was speeding fast, racing against his ribcage maniacally, "always."  
  
"Nothing will change … our public faces must not change. Can you handle that double life? Can you truly agree to the unknown tests that will undoubtedly surface?"   
  
Harry had straightened to his full height, only a few inches shorter than Snape as he spoke. There was no doubt for Harry that he could handle it, not only that but that he needed this, they both desperately needed this to survive what was to come, "Yes. I agree to all of it if you do."  
  
Severus lowered his wand, and smiled, it was small, it was private, and it was only for Harry to see. "I agree."

**Author's Note:**

> co-authored. originally written for thestralskinphoenixtears


End file.
